Life Goes On
by dancingstone
Summary: Suze is 28 and Jesse is 32. Yet they haven't spoken in ten years. Read on to find out why.... [In Suze and Jesse's POV]
1. Summary

**Summary**

"_I want to ask you something," Jesse said suddenly, breaking the silent air that had been present around him and Susannah._

"OK," Suze replied, not knowing what else to say.

Jesse got down on his knees, and that's when Suze knew what he was about to do. She didn't freak out, but she wasn't exactly relaxed or worry-free either. Her nerves increased as Jesse reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.

"Susannah Simon, will you marry me?" Jesse asked as he opened the case to reveal the most beautiful diamond ring Suze had ever seen.

"Yes," Susannah whispered. Jesse removed the ring and slipped it on her finger; she had dreamed of this moment since she was sixteen and now it was actually happening. Jesse took her in his arms and kissed her and she wrapped her hands around his neck.

This event, of which everyone thought would happen, did not. It was destined to be, except misunderstanding intercepted beforehand; never did Suze get to leap into Jesse's arms when he proposed.

Now Susannah is twenty eight and Jesse is thirty two, and they haven't spoken to each other in ten years. But what will happen when after all this time they are brought back together? Is it a coincidence, or fate?


	2. Prologue

**Prologue:**

Suze and Jesse's relationship was perfect at the time when Suze was sixteen. Well, of course it would be; Jesse was alive and everything was going right. Everyone was happy.

Their relationship started to deteriorate however when Jesse went to medical school. They hardly had time to see each other, and when they did it was only briefly. Soon they found themselves fighting a lot, though they would always work through whatever problems they had.

On the night before summer when Suze was eighteen and Jesse was twenty two, they had a huge fight. There was crying, screaming, yelling and throwing things. Susannah left Jesse's place in tears, and Jesse was left standing there in shock.

That night Suze cried herself to sleep, and the next day she packed her bags to go to Brooklyn to visit her grandmother as planned. She didn't say goodbye to Jesse as she was still mad at him from the night before, but she intended to call him when things had settled down.

Jesse however, knowing that Susannah was leaving that day, rushed over to her house to say sorry, but was too late. And when he didn't hear from Susannah at all the following week, being the old-fashioned guy that he was, he assumed that Susannah had chosen to end their relationship.

Jesse then sent a farewell letter to Susannah in Brooklyn, wishing her the best in the future, apologizing for their fight and thanking her for everything that she had done for him. When Suze got the unexpected letter, naturally she thought that he had broken up with her, and was devastated.

The summer ended and Susannah returned to Carmel, but she still wasn't over Jesse. She couldn't believe that he had dumped her after everything that they had gone through together, and felt angry at the mere mention of his name. On the rare occasion when Suze saw Jesse, whether it be at the mall or the mission, she did not speak to him, and refused to even acknowledge his presence with a nod. She was so upset over the break up in fact that for years after it happened she had trouble letting herself love anyone else, and often satisfied her loneliness with one night stands and numerous boyfriends who only stayed with her for a few weeks. Three months after the summer had ended Suze sank into depression when Father Dominic died.

The following year when Jesse was twenty three, he met Bianca, a girl his age who was attending the same medical school as he was. Jesse was amazed at how well they got along, and marveled at her stunning beauty. They started dating, and seemed like the perfect couple.

It wasn't until Suze was twenty one that she finally found herself healing, and forgetting about Jesse. She met and fell in love with an attractive twenty three year old called Shaun Hyndes, who had inherited his father's restaurant that he now owned. Suze hadn't felt as happy as she was since she was seventeen and she was ready to move on with her life.

When Jesse and Bianca graduated from medical school, Jesse got offered a job as a doctor in San Francisco, so he moved there, as did Bianca who had gotten a job nearby as a nurse. After two years of his career, Jesse proposed to Bianca, and at twenty six they moved in together and wed. One year after their marriage Bianca gave birth to their son Benjamin, named after Bianca's grandfather who had passed away many years ago. Bianca was forced to give up her career to care for Ben, but Jesse's income was more than enough to provide for their family.

Susannah had stayed in Carmel, and had moved in with Shaun a year after they had met when she was twenty two. They got married two years later, and everything was going well. Susannah soon fell pregnant, and at twenty six years of age gave birth to a healthy daughter called Maddison.

Now Jesse is still living in San Francisco with Bianca and a five year old Ben, still working as a doctor. Susannah hasn't moved from Carmel and she is busy raising Maddison, who is now two years old, while Shaun works at the restaurant all day.

Shaun doesn't know that Suze is a mediator, nor does Bianca know about Jesse. But regardless, Suze and Jesse have definitely moved on from each other, now with their own separate and very different lives.


	3. Babies, Kids, Husbands and Wives

**Hey, thanks everyone for the reviews, hope you like the next chapter! **

**Disclaimer - Everything is Meg Cabot's, except for some characters. Like Shaun, and Bianca, and Ben and Maddison. That's all I think...  
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**Chapter 1 – "Babies, Kids, Husbands and Wives"**

**Suze's P.O.V – Monday Afternoon**

Babies. Miracles, bundles of joy, little wonders. They seem like the cutest and most innocent things in the world, and they make a mother's face light up whenever they're in sight.

Yeah, until they turn two. Then they're little monsters.

"Maddison, be quiet!" I yelled to my daughter in an attempt to halt the noise, but my voice was drowned out by her violent screams.

"Maddy, you can't play with the beads because you'll choke," I said. I kneeled down beside her as she screamed blue murder, banged her fists against the floor and kicked her legs in the air.

Although I've been a mother for two years, I'm new at the whole crying-and-screaming-whilst-throwing-body-around-the-floor thing. I mean, Maddison's my first child, and she was so quiet and just sat there when she born. Then she turned two and it was like Tantrum City Central.

In a final attempt to shut her up, I scooped her wriggling body up off the floor and started to carry her to her cot. This however only seemed to anger her more, and when she bit my hand I let out a shriek and put her down.

"Don't do that again!" I scolded as I inspected the bite mark that her teeth had left on my skin.

All I got in reply was more bawling and screaming as she thrust herself against my leg.

She will honestly drive me to the point of insanity, I know it. I will either kill her, or kill myself before she reaches the age of five. How do all the other moms in the world cope? I feel sorry for my own mother – not only did she have to put up with me when I was a toddler, but I was never much of the teenage daughter she wanted either. In Brooklyn I was always skipping class and being brought home by the police, and then when Father Dom died I was depressed and couldn't even manage to keep a job or a boyfriend for more than a month. But at least she was happy when I found Shaun. Actually she was thrilled; he was good-looking, wealthy and made me happy. Mom had liked Shaun more than any of my other boyfriends. She liked my first, who I have sworn to myself I will never mention his name again, but nowhere near as much as Shaun, because he didn't have a name or any money as he'd been a ghost just before we dated. And of course all of my other brief boyfriends never really lasted that long.

Suddenly the phone rang, and I dived toward it trying to get away from Maddison, who was still screaming her head off.

"Hello?" I yelled into the phone.

"Suze?" Shaun said through the phone, "What is going on?"

"It's Maddy," I shouted.

"Oh OK. Well I was just calling to see how you're doing."

"What do you think?" I yelled.

"Do you have PMS?" was all he asked.

"NO! Look I'm sorry. I'm just stressed at the moment."

"Yeah, I know. I'll take Maddy off you're hands for a while when I come home."

"Thank you! I love you."

"I love you too, see you later."

"Bye," I yelled as I hung up the phone.

By this time Maddy was clinging onto my feet still in tears. I picked her up and somehow managed to carry her to her cot without being bitten, and left her in there to cry while I made myself a much needed coffee.

Thank god for caffeine.

**Jesse's P.O.V – Monday Afternoon**

I drove home from work glad that the day was over. My job was so demanding – and I hated not being there all the time for Ben. My family mattered more than anything in the world; however I had to keep my job to provide for them.

When I walked in the door Ben ran up to me and I scooped him up in my arms.

"Hey little fella, how are you doing?" I said as I put him down again.

"Dad, guess what? Today at school I got a gold star!" he said as he bounced up and down.

"That's great Ben." I put down my keys and listened to Ben talk some more about his day and I saw Bianca come into the room.

"Hi," she said, smiling to herself as she took a look at Ben.

I rose to my feet and said, "Hi Bianca."

You'll probably notice that I don't call her _querida_. It's weird. I used to call my mom and all of my sisters _querida_, but since I came alive I haven't called anyone _querida_. Well, except one girl… but that's in the past.

I pulled Bianca in for a kiss, but after a few seconds Ben got impatient and started to jump up and down again.

"Mom! Dad! Listen to me!"

I pulled away from Bianca, kneeled down next to Ben and looked him in the eye.

"Yes Ben?" I asked

"My teacher gave me a sticker today too," he informed me proudly.

"Well good for you," I chuckled to myself.

"Daddy, will you take me to the park? Please, please, please, pleeeaaaase?"

"Oh alright," I said as I ruffled his hair, "let's give you're mom a break."

"YAY!!" shrieked Ben. He ran around the room in a way I must say made him appear slightly crazy.

I stood back up again and saw Bianca smiling at me. I took her in my arms and kissed the top of her head, and I felt her grip around my back loosen.

"DAD! Come on!" yelled Ben.

"Yeah, I'm coming," I said as I kissed Bianca once again.

I changed out of my work clothes and headed out the door with an excited Ben. Yet another afternoon sitting on the park bench doing nothing. The joy of children.

_Word Count: 974_

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**So, yes. Reveiw!**_  
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	4. Signs

**Here's chapter 2, finally! **

**Disclaimer - Everything is Meg Cabot's, except for some characters. Like Shaun, and Bianca, and Ben and Maddison. That's all I think...**

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**Chapter 2 – "Signs"**

**Suze's P.O.V – Monday Night**

I flicked through the T.V channels with my pajamas on, taking advantage of the little time when Shaun could take Maddison for a drive, giving me a break. Flick, flick, oh this looks OK…

Then the phone rang. I expected it to be Shaun or maybe Cee Cee, but instead it was Mom.

"Hello Susie, something terrible has happened, it's Andy," she said. I could sense the worry in her voice and I knew whatever she had to tell me wasn't going to be good.

"What is it?" I asked, although not really wanting to hear the answer.

"He needs bypass surgery."

"Wow."

"Yes, I know. But don't worry everything's going to be fine, I'm sure of it; if he has surgery he'll have a 98 chance of survival. But we'll need to get to San Francisco right away."

"San Francisco?"

"Yes, San Francisco. It's where Andy will be having surgery."

"Oh, OK. Um, so when will we need to get there? I mean, what about Maddy? I can't leave her here with Shaun if he'll be at work all day."

"Ask Cee Cee, Maddison gets along fine with her two children."

"Mom, I don't know if I could do that. I mean I can't just dump a two year old with her when she's got two of her own children to look after."

"Well it's either that or a babysitter. You should at least ask; if she was in the same situation you'd look after her kids, right?"

"Yes, OK. I'll work something out. When will we be going?"

"Tomorrow."

"TOMORROW? Mom, we can't go tomorrow!"

"Why not? Susie, Andy needs to get this as soon as possible. Surely you can understand that."

I sighed. "Yes I can. I'll be ready tomorrow, OK?"

"Great. I'll pick you up at eleven."

"OK, bye."

I hung up the phone and stared at it for a few seconds, letting what I had just been told fully sink in.

I was going to have to ring Cee Cee.

"Hello?" Cee Cee said as she picked up the phone.

"Hi, it's me. Um, I need a favor."

"Like wha- LACHLAN PUT THAT DOWN! Like what?"

I decided to just blurt out the whole thing.

"What?!" she asked in shock.

"Yes, I know. But I really need you to take care of Maddy."

"Well, sure. But oh my god Suze, bypass surgery?"

"I know. So I'll bring Maddy 'round in the morning then?"

"Yeah OK."

"Thank you so much."

"Well, that's what friends are for."

"Yeah. So Bye."

"Bye."

I hung up the phone and Shaun walked in with Maddison asleep in his arms. How does he do it? Every night all he has to do is take her for a drive and she falls asleep, but when I want her to go to bed there's a great big tantrum.

"Shaun, Andy needs bypass surgery so I'll be going to San Francisco with Mom tomorrow. Cee Cee said she will look after Maddy through the day when you're at work, OK?"

"Oh my god, bypass surgery? Is he going to be OK?"

"I'm pretty sure he'll be fine if he gets operated on."

"Well sure then. Do you want me to take some time off or anything?"

"No, it should be fine. Just make sure you help Cee Cee with Maddy."

"Of course."

Shaun gave me an assuring smile and walked away to put Maddy in her cot. I sat down in my favourite armchair and curled up in a ball, just thinking about San Francisco and Andy. I wonder if Jake, Brad, or David would be coming. That was a stupid question, of course they would be; it's their father after all.

I felt Shaun's arms slip around me and I let him pick me up off the chair.

"You OK?" he whispered into my hair.

I just nodded and motioned for him to carry me to our room. He did so, and I relished in the way his arms comforted me and seemed to take away all the stress. He put me down on the bed and kissed me before taking down the suitcases that were up above our closet, which we hadn't used since I moved in, and still held some of my unpacked belongings.

"What's this?" Shaun suddenly asked when he was in the middle of taking everything out of one of my suitcases. He held up a small portrait. Of Jesse. The one I stole from the Carmel Historical Society. Which was painted in the Nineteenth Century.

So much for not mentioning his name.

"Uh… nothing. It's just a souvenir I got from a holiday about ten years ago," I said thinking up a quick excuse.

Why did I have to be reminded about Jesse, after forgetting for all these years? Other people would probably call it a sign; I say yeah, right.

But I packed it anyway.

**Jesse's P.O.V – Tuesday Morning**

"Bye," Bianca said to me as I walked out the door about to go to work.

"See you this afternoon," I replied.

I leaned in to kiss her and I felt her arms slide around my neck. I put my arms around her waist and when I pulled away I whispered, "I'll be home soon."

"DADDY!" bellowed Ben as he came out from his bedroom rubbing his eyes. He ran up to me and I picked him up in a hug.

"Daddy, when you come home today from work will you take me to the park again?"

"Of course," I said as I put him down on his feet. He seemed satisfied with my answer and waved as he trotted off to watch cartoons.

He asks me if he will take him to the park when I come home every single morning. Don't ask me why he still thinks it necessary to ask me when I always say yes, and have never said no, not once of the one thousand times he's asked me. But that's Ben, I guess.

I kissed Bianca goodbye once again, and made my way to the car. Soon I was driving to work, thinking about Ben and Bianca as I usually did every morning.

I switched on the radio and I winced when I heard the song that was so well-known to me, but brought back so much painful memories.

_Oh Susannah, don't you cry for me_

_For I come from Alabama_

_With my banjo on my knee_

Instantly I switched it off and pushed all of the thoughts that had resurfaced to the back of my mind where they belong. Why did I have to be reminded about Susannah, after forgetting for all these years? It couldn't be a sign, could it? No, of course not.

_Word Count: 1120_

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